Media release

From: The University of Sydney

Embargoed supporting quotes

Senior Researcher and Lecturer co-author Dr Arne Geschke, from the centre for Integrated Sustainability Analysis (ISA) and School of Physics at the University of Sydney:

“The STAR metric provides us with a tremendously increased insight into the state of biodiversity in this world. It further allows for the integration of other economic metrics in the future, which is absolutely unprecedented and allows for a stronger interconnection with other disciplines.”

Professor of Sustainability Research Manfred Lenzen, from the centre for Integrated Sustainability Analysis (ISA) and School of Physics at the University of Sydney – who was not involved in this paper – led the Nature paper in 2012 that demonstrated international trade drives biodiversity threats:

“The development of the STAR metric presents the fruitful outcome of an interdisciplinary international research effort to advance the understanding of the state of biodiversity around the world. The STAR metric will further serve as a baseline for future assessments of the implications of international trade on biodiversity. As such, we now have a comprehensive assessment framework that will accelerate global, much needed research effort to preserve biodiversity of generations to come.”